Android is a lot about control. Most of the smartphone platforms are, to be honest. For instance, Apple is also about control, but the Cupertino company prefers to keep that control in its own hands. What the users installs on their device, how they can use their phones, what apps are even allowed to run on the said platform. Google’s Android, however, puts most of that control in the users’ hand, staying true to its open source nature. Of course, manufacturers choose to restrict certain areas, but that’s only for stability and prevention of user accidents. Overall, a user has much more control over almost all areas of the smartphone when it’s running Android, which is further enhanced by a very active developer community.

It is this same control that lets you customize an Android phone or tablet to your liking, and as much as you desire to. Ringtones, wallpapers, custom launchers, widgets etc., are all part of that customization efforts. One rather ill-regarded element of this is boot animations. For most users, they won’t even mean a thing, since the only time you come across those is when you start up your device from a powered down state. However, for customization enthusiasts, that’s a pretty big deal. Now, Android has a standard model for these start up sequences, where a conventional bootanimation.zip file contains everything that’s displayed on device power up. Samsung, however, made a rather bizarre choice here, opting for a proprietary QMG format in place of the ZIP one, thereby limiting the ROM chefs’ choice to include custom boot animations in their offerings (QMG can only be created using commercial software that’s rather expensive).

To address this, XDA developer smokin1337 has come up with a mod for all Samsung devices that follow the QMG route, which will bring back the support for standard bootanimation.zip. Essentially, there are two versions of the mod (both of them use an updater script, by the way); one that adds support for bootanimation.zip to the system, while the other that only modifies Samsungani – the Samsung protocol for calling boot animations. The instructions for using both remain the same.

It should be noted that these will work only on rooted phones, since the updater script uses BusyBox for mounting partitions. You also need to have the bootanimation.zip that you want to use, and the required ZIP file from the source link below.

Step 1: Using a root-level file explorer on your Android, mount the system as read-write and navigate to /system partition.

Step 2: Copy the bootanimation.zip file that you wish to use at this location in your device:

/system/media/bootanimation.zip

Step 3: Now, put the hack ZIP file at the root of your device’s internal memory, reboot into recovery and flash the ZIP file (which will invoke the updater script in turn and enable the boot animation).

Step 4: Reboot the device. You should now see the new boot animation that you placed in system/media partition, as opposed to whatever you had earlier.

The method is fairly simple, and requires very little effort. For more information, downloads, variations to the process and troubleshooting help, head on over to the XDA forum link below.

Insert an original simcard and turn phone on
Enter sim PIN if required
Enter 2945*#770#
From the menu that pops up select “SIM unlock”
Enter unlock code you received and press OK
The phone will then reboot and the unlock is complete

How to enter Unlock Codes to LG GB250 & GB220

Power on your phone without SIM card
Enter 2945#*505#
From the menu that pops up select “SIM unlock”
Enter unlock code and press OK
The phone will then reboot and the unlock is complete

How to Enter Unlock Codes on LG GT505:

Power on your phone without SIM card
Enter 2945#*505#
From the menu that pops up select “SIM unlock”
Enter unlock code and press OK
The phone will then reboot and the unlock is complete

How to Unlock LG KG245 (Vodafone Australia):
1. Insert a Vodafone Australia working SIM card.
2. Ensure the phone is charged and then switch the phone on.
3. Optional Step: If the SIM card has a PIN, enter your PIN number
4. Wait for the phone to power up then enter 2945#*7101#
5. Select Menu , then go to Settings > Security > SIM Lock > Network
6. Select Deactivate and enter the 8-digit unlocking code provide for your handset.
7. The handset will be unlocked automatically and will display “Done”. This will be confirmed if you can make and receive calls with the Non-Vodafone Australia SIM card. (You will need reception and phone credit with the different network provider)

How to Unlock LG KG800 or TG800 Chocolate:
1. With the phone in standby, enter 2945#*7101#. This will activate the extra menu.
2. Go to: Settings>Security>SimLock>Network
3. Select deactivate. Enter the unlock code

How to Enter Unlock Codes on LG U81xx:
1. To bring up the unlock menu on the phone with a SIM card, type 2945#*88110# 2. Enter the code
In case you need to reset the phone without a SIM card first, type 277634#*# or 47328545454#.

How to Enter Unlock Codes on Cingular AT&T LG CU575 TRAX:
1. Insert non-Cingular SIM card.
2. Power on the handset. Phone will display “Invalid SmartChip”
3. Now enter *#865625# then select option 1 and then again select 1 and enter your code

How to Enter Unlock Codes on all other LG cell phones:
1. Switch ON your phone with an allowed SIM card
2. Then compose:
3. 2945#*5101# – (if you have a LG 510w)
4. 1945#*5101# – (if you have a LG 1200 & B1200)
5. 2945#*5221# – (if you have a LG 5200 & 52200)
6. 2945#*5301# – (if you have a LG 5300)
7. 2945#*5401# – (if you have a LG 5400)
8. 2945#*70001# – (if you have a LG 7020)
9. 2945#*7101# – (if you have a LG 7100)
10. 2945#*1201# or 2945#*70001# – (if you have a LG 1100 or 1150)
11. 2945#*70001# – (if you have a LG7250T)
12. 2945#*2201# – (if you have a LG C2200)
13. 2945#*5301# – (if you have a LG T5100)
14. 2945#*3311# – (if you have a LG C3310)
15. Go to “Menu” and then to “Settings”
16. Then select “Security”
17. To finish select “Network Provider” and select “Deactivate”
18. Enter the unlock code
19. If your cell phone is not listed, please follow instructions for LG C2000 above

How to Enter Unlock Codes on LG U400 Shine (2 codes needed):
1. Insert the network SIM in the handset which works with the phone (from the lockedcarrier).
2. Enter 2945#*9636#.
3. The phone will then prompt ‘Unlock sim’. Press OK.
4. The phone will then prompt ‘Network Unlock’. Press OK.
5. The phone will then prompt- ‘Input Network Control Key’. Enter the 8 digit unlocking code, Press OK. If the unlocking code comes with only 7 digits, add a 0 in front of the 7 digit code. If the unlocking code comes with only 6 digits, add 00 in front of the 6 digit code. If you received a 16 digit code, enter it. The phone will have space for it.
6. It should give you the message: Success.
7. Come back to the main screen and Enter 2945#*9636#.
8. The phone will then prompt unlock sim. Press OK. 9. The phone will then prompt Network Unlock/ Lock but if you scroll down you will see a message Enter SP Lock. Enter SP Code.

How to Enter Unlock Codes on LG KE970 Shine:
1. Insert original sim card and turn phone on.
2. Press telephone icon at bottom of screen to bring up the phone keypad Enter 2945#*990#
3. A menu will pop up, select sim unlock
4. Enter your unlock code and press ok 5. The phone will then reboot and the unlock is complete.
OR
1. Switch ON your phone with an allowed SIM card
2. Then compose: 2945#*9701#
3. Press CALL.
4. It should you ask you for the code

How to Enter Unlock Codes on LG TU720 Shine
1. Put in a non-allowed SIM, phone says invalid SIM card (or insert original SIM and proceed to step 2)
2. Now enter *#865625# then enter your 16 digits code
OR
1. Insert the original network SIM
2. Enter 2945#*88110#.
3. The phone will then prompt ‘ Unlock sim’. Press OK.
4. The phone will then prompt ‘Network Unlock’. Press OK.
5. The phone will then prompt- ‘Input Network Control Key’. Enter the 8 digit unlocking code. Press OK.
6. If the unlock ing code comes with only 7 digits, add a 0 in front of the 7 digit code. If the unlocking code comes with only 6 digits, add 00 in front of the 6 digit code.
7. It should give you the message Success.
8. Come back to the main screen and Enter 2945#*88110#.
9. The phone will then prompt unlock sim. Press OK.
10. The phone will then prompt Network Unlock/ Lock but if you scroll down you will see a message Enter SP Lock. Enter SP Code.
11. Then press OK.